Key points
- PenCom has expanded eligibility for its PenCare Initiative pilot to retirees receiving monthly pensions of up to N150,000.
- The commission aims to increase enrolment and generate sufficient data to evaluate the pilot programme.
- About 13,000 retirees have enrolled so far, against a target of 30,000 beneficiaries.
- PenCom plans to introduce three healthcare packages after the pilot to improve retirees’ access to medical care.
Main story
The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has expanded eligibility for its PenCare Initiative pilot programme to include retirees receiving monthly pensions of up to N150,000 as it seeks to increase enrolment and strengthen healthcare access for pensioners.
PenCom Director-General, Ms Omolola Oloworaran, announced the decision on Tuesday in Abuja after the third meeting of the Pension Industry Leadership Council (PILC).
She said the commission raised the income threshold to attract more participants and generate the volume of data required to properly assess the effectiveness of the pilot scheme.
According to Oloworaran, PenCom aims to enrol about 30,000 retirees under the initiative but has so far registered approximately 13,000 beneficiaries.
She explained that broader participation is necessary to ensure the pilot produces meaningful results before the programme is expanded.
Under the revised eligibility criteria, retirees earning monthly pensions of N150,000 or less can now enrol and receive free health insurance through the PenCare pilot.
Oloworaran clarified that the higher income threshold is a temporary measure intended to improve participation during the pilot phase and would be reviewed once the programme has been evaluated.
She also appealed to journalists and other stakeholders to help raise awareness, noting that many eligible low-income retirees remain unaware of the initiative and the healthcare benefits available to them.
Looking beyond the pilot phase, the PenCom boss said the commission plans to introduce three healthcare packages designed to provide sustainable medical support for retirees across different income groups.
She explained that the first package would provide free healthcare services for low-income pensioners, while the second would introduce a co-payment model for retirees requiring additional support.
The third package, she said, would enable higher-income retirees to purchase enhanced healthcare coverage at competitive premium rates.
Oloworaran reaffirmed that improving retirees’ welfare remains one of PenCom’s core priorities as the commission continues to develop initiatives aimed at strengthening pensioners’ financial security and quality of life.
The issues
Access to affordable healthcare remains a major challenge for many retirees, particularly those living on modest monthly pensions. Through the PenCare Initiative, PenCom is testing a healthcare support model that could improve medical access for pensioners while informing the design of a broader, long-term healthcare programme tailored to different income levels.
What’s being said
“We need a critical mass to properly test the system. Running a pilot with just 10,000 people will not give us the results we want.” — Omolola Oloworaran, Director-General, PenCom
“We continue to explore initiatives that will improve retirees’ wellbeing and ensure Nigerians retire with peace of mind.” — Omolola Oloworaran
What’s next
PenCom will continue enrolling eligible retirees into the PenCare pilot while evaluating its performance. After the assessment, the commission plans to roll out three healthcare packages offering varying levels of support for retirees across different income brackets.
Bottom line
PenCom is widening access to its PenCare pilot to boost participation and gather the data needed to shape a long-term healthcare support programme for Nigerian retirees.
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